Cash-carrier track



Patented June 28, 1887.,

v`NU m6166661.) 2 sheets-sheet' R E BRAWN CASH CARRIER TRACK.

Patentedlune 28, 1887..

UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUEUS ERAWN, or NEwBUHrroHT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSICNOH To NATHANIELWILSON, OE WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA, AND EYHONA. OSCOOD, OEWAKEEIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CASH-CARRIER TRACK..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,668, dated J'une28l 1887.

A pplicaiion filed November 24, 1886. Serial No. 219,765. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RU'EUS E. BRAWN, -Of Newburyport, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and usefulImprovement in CasnCarrier rIracks; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing isafull, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to cash carriers or what are called in the tradecash and parcel carrier systems, these being well-known devices formoving cash and parcels in retail stores.

The invention relates more particularly to the track, and is designed tobe used in con` nection with an automatic carrier or any freely-movingcarrier suspended from a Wheel or wheels and adapted to run upon thetrack.

My invention consists, iirst, of an endless track adapted to allow thecarriers Ito go and return without being reversed upon the Way. y Itconsists, secondly, of a side track or tracks included within theendless track, with switches turning` out any required car.

It consists, thirdly, of mechanism operated by the car itself andarranged above the track, so that any car designed to be turned upon anyparticular side track will operate the switch automatically for thatpurpose.

It consists, further, of a special form of stopping device, of devicesfor raising and lowering the track, of a special form of track, and ofSpecial devices for operating the "switches.

It consists, lastly, of a special construction of thesupportingstaudards, whereby the. apparatus may be readily set up and asreadily taken down.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of theapparatus,one of the switches being Shown as open. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof a portion ofthe apparatus,show ing a 'siding and the mechanismemployed in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a 4sectional view on line a:x, Fig, 2. Figs. i and 4 are detail views of the automatic stoppingdevice. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the stop situated in the siding.Figs. 6,V 7, and 8 are detail views ofthe automatic stop mechanism, thatis placed in a different position from that illustrated in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, A represents an-endless 'ings A.

track, designed to reach from the cashiers desk to the reinotest part ofthe storev from which it may be desired to send cash or parcels. Itconsists of an outgoing and a return track,which are connected to eachother at both ends by a curved track, as shown,so that the car running,for example, from the cashier to the salesman returns to the cashierbypassing around the curve and continuing upon the other track. Thistrack is made,preferably,of brass tubing, the sections of which arecounected to each other by suitable interior couplings. It is supportedupon arms a,which are attached to a post, B. These arms Inay be adjustedon the post and maybe fixed thereto in any desired manner. The postconsists also of tubing,but may beof solid rods. It is provided at theupper Vand lower ends with disks faced lwith rubber or other suitablepadding,adapted to bear upon the counter or ceiling andto hold the postin place by frictional contact with the counter or ceiling, or securedwith bolts or screws, the pads being soft enough to protect the Surfacesagainst which they bear.

Inorder thatthe pads may bc pressed with sufiicient force, the post iscomposed of two Y parts, the upper end having the part a connected tothe lower end by a coupling having a right and left hand thread, byturning which coupling the post may be extended. The construction shownallows the post to be put up or taken down without marring the store inwhich they are placed andrvithout dfculty. Within this endless track Ialso provide sidcircular ways formed of the same kind of material` asthe main track and similarly supported upon a kpost on the saine levelwith the track. Only two are shown in the drawings 5 but it will beunderstood that any desired number may be used, according to the numberof salesmen. side is provided with a point or switch, b, con tinuouswith the main track, to which itis hinged at one end,while the free endis adapted to move from the endv ofthe main track to the end of thesiding which is by the side of the main-track end, so that the switchmay be shifted to make the main track continuous with itself or with thesiding. This arrange- These consist of substantially semi At everysiding the track upon each IOC , arm ofthe pendulum.

ment allows the car appropriated to any salesman to run upon the sidingat his counter and there to be stopped,and after being there used lo beallowed to continue around the siding and to pass off at the other endupon the main track again to continue toward the cashier. In this waypractically at each siding the continuons track is shortened; but thecontinuity of it is maintained.

The switches might be operated by hand, so as to divert the ear from themain track onto the siding whenever the salesmen so desired; but inorder to relieve the salesmen from this duty ofattending to the car Ihave provided automatic apparatus, by means of which the car itselfoperates the switch to turn it from the main track to the siding. Thespecial automatic mechanism shown consists of apendulum, C, pivoted uponan arm, c. Its lower end is bent to a horizontal positio`n,and ispivotedto ears on the inside of the switch. The

` upper end is bent at right angles, and is pivoted in the angle to thearm c a little off the center,as shown at d. On another arm,d,ispiv otedthe lever D, and the free end of this lever extends away from the sidingto which it belongs. The other end is pivoted to the upper This upperarm has a prolongation extending inwardly toward the center of the trackbeyond the pivot, and this is pressed down by aspring, f, attached tothe arm d', and this tends to hold the switch in connection with themain track.

The under side of the free end of the lever is of a cam shape and isadapted to be lifted by means of a curved projection carried upon thecar as it passes under the lever, and the lever is shaped and arrangedso that the projection upon the car will give sufficient movement toshift the switch from the main to the side track. The eccentric pivotingofthe pendulum which carries the switch causes the weight of the carwhen on the switch to aidin the movement. When the car has passed from'the switch onto the siding, the spring and weight of the lever returnthe switch to the main track. The switch on the other side of the way isconstructed in the samemanner; but the lever D projects in an oppositedirection and over the track of the siding, so that the car runsunderit'jnst before leaving the siding and raises the lever to throw theswitch inward into connection with the siding in time to formacontinuation of the siding, so that the car may run onto the maintrack, and then the spring and weight of the leverreturn the switch tothe main track. rThis automatic return of the switches to the main trackholds the track practically continuous, it being open only for aninstant while a car is passing to or from a siding. The arms whichsupport the levers are fixed to a bracket, F, which is supportedadjustably on the post and held by means cfa set-screw. The siding maybe fixed upon the post, as shown in Fig. l, or may be vertically movablethereon, as shown in Fig. 3. In the latter figure it is shown as beingcapable of lowering by means of a cord and pulley, g h, and when so madevthe siding can be lowered to bring the car down to within reach of theoperator.

It will be understood that where there are several sidings formingstations for several salesmen the levers which operate the switches arearranged to lower as they operate the sidings nearer to the end of thetrack. The lever of the second siding being lower than the first, itscar will pass under the first and strike the second, and the lever ofthe third, being lower than that of the second, will pass under thesecond and strike the third, and so on. The projection on the car isshown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, at K, and it is arranged in relation tothe lever which it,y operates in such manner as to hold the lever untilthe car has passed thej unction of the switch with the main track.

It willl be observed that the weight of the lever tends also to throwthe switch outward, and the weight of it may be such as to obviate thenecessity of a spring. I have also devised a new form of stop adapted tothe kind of track described This track may be of tubing threefourths ofan inch in diameter. Islot the up per surface ofthe tube and insert inita tongue, L, Figs. 2 and 5, pivoted at one end and adapted to lie fiushwith the upper surface of the track.- Underneath the free end of thetongue is a shaft, Z, carrying a cam, m, so that when the shaft isturned the tongue is lifted. Vhen it is lifted, `the wheel runs up onthe tongue and is lifted, and this causes a small bar, n, Fig. 1,0m theframe of the carrier to bind upon the lower the car. On the end of theshaft Z is an arm. o, carrying a weight upon one end and a cord upon theother. By pulling the cord the tongue is raised, and it is lowered bythe weight when the cord is released. This is placed in suitableposition on the siding to arrest the carin a position convenientto theoperator. Another stop of similar or `suitable construction is arrangedin a similar manner to be operated automatically bythe switchto preventanother car from coming onto the switch or running off the track' whileoneeis leaving its turnout.

On the outgoing track the automatic stop is situated in the fixedsection at the point of connection with the switch, while upon thereturn track the said device is placed in themain track at a pointadjacent to the free end of the switch. I aim to'utilize the movementofthe switches as a means of effecting the operation of the pivotedtongues or stops L', and

-for this purpose I have devised special means The manner l for each ofthe above situations. of operating the tongues L in the position firstmentioned is shown in Figs. 4 and 4C, in which A represents the fixedportion of track, and b the switch hinged thereto. The tongue L isarranged in a manner similar to that referred to above. A screwor pin,1, forms the pi4votal connection between the sections. An arm,

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part of the track and stop vIO 2, projects 'from the end ofthe switchbeyond the pivotal point, and carries upon its end a cam-shaped head, 3,which is adapted to have movement laterally across the tube to act uponthe tongue L. IVhen the parts A and b are in line, the cam will be atthe extreme limit ofits movement and the tongue will be allowed to fallto its normal position by its own weight. IVhen, however, the switchisswung to conneet with the siding, the cam face of the part 3,passingunder the tongue,etieets the raising and holding ofthe same until thereturn movement ofthe section b takes place.

'Ihe'mechanism placed in the return track to prevent a carrier ruimingoff while the switch is swung inward is illustrated in Figs. 6,7, and 8.In the former figure the fixed port-ion of track is shown at A and theswitch at b, and a portion of the siding at A', the switch being shownas open or in connection with the siding. In this case the tongue L2 isarranged in the under side of the track, and is adapted to fall bygravity to bar the movement ofthe carrier. A springcateh, 5, has lateralmovement in the tube across the path ot' the tongue or stop L2, and isadapted to move into position directly over the tongue and hold the samedown. This action takes place when the switch 4is open, as shown, andthe movement ofthe carrier f rom the track is thus prevented.- Vhcn,however, the switch is returned to its normal position, the projectingstud 6 strikes the catch and 'forces it aside, and the upward movementofthe tongue is then permitted when a carrier passes along that portionof the way.

I contemplate placing the apparatus over the counter, resting the basesof the posts upon the counter and holding them in the manner aforesaid,or by any suitable expansion devices by which the posts may be held byfrictional contact above and below.

As I contemplate using a spring'motor in the car, it is necessary thatthe switches should operate easily, and in the construction this iseffected by the swinging or pendulum movement, which avoids friction.

Vhen not in use, the carrier may remain upon the turnouts between thetracks, where it is ready for use by the salesmen.

l. A store service apparatus comprising a stationary track supported inthe described relation to the counters, a wheel-carrier supportedthereon,and curved sidings extending across between the portions of thecontinuous track, the main track being provided with pivoted sections atthe sidings, thesaid sections serving as switches to divert the carrierto the sidings, substantially as described.

2. An elevated endless track consisting of straight tracks joined bycurves, in combina-- tion with curved sidings placed between thestraight tracks, switch mechanism for connecting the main tracks withthe sidings, and means for raising and lowering the sidings,substantially as described.

3. In combination, an endless main track composed otstraightportionsjoined by curves, a siding arranged to shorten the circuit ofsaid track and to make it continuous through the shorter circuit, apivoted section of the main track forming a switch to connect the maintrack with the siding, and mechanism, suhstantially as described,adaptedto be operated by the car for shitting the switch and shortening thecircuit, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the main track and siding, a switch to connectthe two supported upon an arm, C, pivoted to one side of the center ofgravity, a lever connected with said arm adapted to be operated by thecar,whereby the switch is moved, and means for returning the switch toits normal position, substantially as described.

5. An endless track consisting of straight tracks joined by curves andcurved siding placed between the straight tracks, a switch adapted toconnect the siding with the main track, consisting of a hinged sectionof the main track, a hinged vertical or pendulum support for the switch,a camshaped lever projecting away from the siding and over the maintrack for operating the switch toward the siding and adapted to beoperated by a projection on the car, a similar' switch and -supportingmechanism on the opposite side or other straight part of the track, andasimilar cam-shaped lever projecting over the siding' and adapted to beoperated by a projection on the car as the car is leaving' the siding toshift the switch to the siding, all combined substantially as described.

6. Astop mechanism consisting of the tongue inserted in the Lippersurface ofthe track and pivoted at one end and means for raising andlowering the tongue, in combination with the car having a wheel orwheels l adapted to run upon the track, and an arm adapted to bind uponthe lower part of the track when the wheel is lifted by the tongue,substantially as described.

7. In combination, the fixed portion of the track, the switch portionpivoted thereto, a tongue or stop positioned close to said pivot, andmeans, substantially as described, for operating said tongue on themovement of the switch, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the fixed portion of the track, provided withatongue or stop pivn oted therein, with a switch provided with a stud orprojection for automatically operating the tongue or stop, substantiallyas described.

' 9. In combination with the fixed portion A and switch b, thegravity-stop L, pivoted in the fixed portion, and means carried in thepivoted end of the switch for positively raising ,the tongue,substantially as described.

10. In combination, the sect-ions A and I), the

Ytongue L, pivoted to the former, andthe arm 2 and cam 3, carried by thelatter and adapted to act upon said tongue, substantially as de scribed.

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11. In eombination,the fixed section A, the to act upon said catch,substantially as d etongue L2, pivoted thereto, means for holdingscribed. v

the said tongue in its outward position, and In testimony whereof [havesigned my nume the switch b, adapted to act upon said means to thisspeciication in the presence oftwo sub-v 5 for releasing the tongue,substantially as and scribing witnesses.

for the purpose explained. Y

12. In combination, the xed section A, thel RUFUS E BRAWN' tongue L2,pivoted on the under side thereof, Vitnesses: the catch 5, adapted tohave lateral move- RODNEY LUND, ro ment, and the free end of the switchb, adapted E. O. HOWARD.

